New Disability Benefit for Pension-Age Residents in Scotland

The Scottish Government has introduced Pension Age Disability Payment to assist individuals over State Pension age with care needs arising from a disability or long-term health condition. Key details include:

• Eligibility: Open to individuals who are not already receiving Attendance Allowance (AA), Adult Disability Payment (ADP), or Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Current AA recipients will automatically be migrated to this new benefit without needing to reapply.
• Payment Rates: Two tiers are available based on care needs:
  • Lower rate: £72.65 per week, for those needing care or supervision during either the day or night.
  • Higher rate: £108.55 per week, for those requiring care or supervision both day and night. Terminally ill applicants are entitled to the higher rate automatically.
• Non-Means-Tested: Awards are unaffected by income or savings.
• Rollout Schedule: Initially available in selected local authorities, expanding across Scotland by April 2025. Residents can check availability in their area using the postcode tool at